Teen Angst
by Loki The Poet
Summary: Connor and Dawn get seperated from Angel and Buffy while fighting demons who work for a warlock with the power to steal abilities. The Slayer's daughter and the Vampire's son get seperated and shack up in a warehouse until it blows over. *Obviously a BTVS
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: If only they were mine…*none of you would watch the show* lol  
  
Connor ducked beneath a swing of a mighty arm, topped with vicious blades that could retract and expand. The vampires' son brought up his fist into the blue demon's jaw, knuckle meeting steel-like flesh. The Wuulark demon laughed and jabbed at the small super-human. Connor flipped backwards and out of reach. Angel lashed with his sledgehammer, sending the Wuulark crashing to the ground. "Dad, watch out!" Connor cried. One of the blade demons sliced off a god portion of skin from Angel's arm. The ennobled vampire grimaced and swung the hammer with full force at the demon's face, smashing the ugly features in.   
  
"Aim for the base of their spines!" Buffy said, impaling one Wuulark at the said spot. The blade demon roared and its body began to bubble and shudder violently. Buffy pulled out her broad sword and jumped out of the way just as the demon exploded. Black, oily flames licked at Connor and Angel, scorched Buffy's back. The broadsword clattered away from Buffy's reach.   
  
"Buffy help!" the Slayer instantly jumped to her feet upon hearing her sister's terrified tone. She was too far away and two Wuulark were closing in on her. Connor charged at the pair of uglies and assailed one with a flurry of punches and expert kicks. The other demon turned towards Connor and knocked him off its comrade with a powerful blow. But the Wuulark howled as Dawn plunged a long bladed dagger into the base of its spine. She ran over the demon Connor downed and helped the vampires' child to his feet.   
  
"Come on or we'll be deep fried," she said. The boiling sound that preceded the explosion added haste to their steps. They were flung several feet into the air when the beast went- as their friend Anya would put it- kablooey.  
  
"Dawn, Connor, there's a warehouse a few blocks down!" Buffy called, struggling with a vicious Wuulark. Angel crippled into it, bringing down the sledgehammer upon its leg.   
  
"Hide in there until we get the Eye of Imora." Angel said.  
  
"I wanna stay and fight!" Connor proclaimed. The Wuulark emerged from the ashes of its comrade and headed inexorably towards the younger pair.   
  
"Come on, it's not time to play hero." Dawn said, heart racing as she saw the blue demon foaming at the mouth.  
  
"But I am a hero," Connor shook his head as though it were a wonder she didn't already know. Dawn rolled her eyes.  
  
"Connor go!" Buffy and Angel said in unison. "Protect Dawn," Buffy added. She round housed a Wuulark and cursed at her chipped nail. Now it was Dawn who groaned.  
  
"Come on," Connor said, gnashing his teeth. He held Dawn by the hand, running and trying to not let her stumble along. They ran down the length of several streets before they saw the warehouse the Slayer mentioned.   
  
"It's locked," Dawn observed the padlocks and chains on the double doors. Connor went around to the side then called Buffy's sister over. "There's a window, up there." he motioned to a portal high into the wall. Dawn crossed her arms and her lips pursed.  
  
"We can't reach that window unless you can fly." she paused. "You can't fly can you? Because I'm suffering from an inferiority complex as it is and if you can fly-"  
  
"Why did I get stuck with the child?" Connor asked, supplicating the sky.  
  
"Hey!" she said, punching his arm. "We're the same age!"  
  
"Whatever, just climb the dumpster and I'll give you a boost."   
  
"No way." "What? Why?" "I just sto- eh, bought these shoes." Connor clenched and unclenched his fists. He leapt atop the dumpster.  
  
"Fine, when the Wuulark come to dismember you, tell them to not scoff up your shoes. I'm sure they'd understand the value of new footwear. I'll be inside if you need me." he was about to jump up to the window when Dawn climbed up next to him.  
  
"This smell is rancid!" she exclaimed, pinching her nose.   
  
"Must you whine about everything?"  
  
"Must you be Superman all the time?"   
  
Connor laced his fingers together and bended his knee. Dawn placed her foot in his hands.  
  
"Try not to miss the window." Connor said with a secret smile. Dawn mocked him with a high pitched voice and yelped as he propelled her into the air. She latched onto the window's ledge and her legs dangled comically. Connor chuckled then cursed as one of her shoes came off her foot and smote his head. "This is not a good night…" he muttered as he entered the window right after Dawn fell in. 


	2. You Don't Know Me

All right, this song played while I wrote this and I'm kinda obsessed with it. I accidentally downloaded it and I'm all grateful! Anyway, if you read it and think of Connor and Dawn and what they must think in the privacy of their minds this is probably it in some fashion.   
  
"How does your heart beat?  
  
Why do you breathe?  
  
How does your heart beat?  
  
Why do you breathe?  
  
Why did you come here?  
  
You weren't invited  
  
You were on the outside  
  
Stay on the outside  
  
Now you want to ask my why  
  
It's like, How does your heart beat?  
  
And how do you cry?  
  
How does your heart beat?  
  
There are some things  
  
I'd like to figure out  
  
There are some things I can do without  
  
You and your letters are gone forever  
  
You and the people that were never friends  
  
Never friends…  
  
With all the things that you could be  
  
Never could learn how to be me  
  
Now you want to ask me how  
  
It's like, how does your heart beat  
  
Why do you breathe?  
  
How does your heart beat?  
  
Why do you breathe?  
  
How do you breathe?"  
  
- "How" by Lisa Loeb  
  
"This place is pretty cool, in a creepy, hermit kind of way." Dawn said as she surveyed her surroundings. The place was bare, save for empty boxes and crates and bits of furniture. Iron chains hung from the ceiling. There was a couch with plastic on it. Dawn walked over to it and took the dagger Buffy gave her before the started this little adventure and slashed the plastic wrap off. "Oh my God no wonder this couch was left here." "Why's that?" Connor asked, landing deftly onto the cement floor of the warehouse.   
  
"Because it's flannel! How gaudy can you get?"  
  
Connor rubbed his temples and sighed. Dawn plopped down on the couch and drummed her fingers on the arm rest. Connor began to pace, speaking to himself. His hands kept opening and closing.  
  
"Would you please stop pacing? You're making me antsy." The super human ignored her. "Why are you freaked anyway?" "I don't like to be without a weapon." he replied.  
  
"I completely understand. Like, I cannot leave home if I don't have at least three flavors of lip gloss." she said, rummaging through her purse and bringing out Plumb Fantasy, Peach Delight, and Strawberry Naughtiness. Connor halted his pacing abruptly and loomed over Dawn.  
  
"You're comparing lip stick to weaponry? What is wrong with you? You're just a little girl, you don't belong here. You should have stayed at home like your sister told you to."  
  
The loud crack of Dawn's hand across Connor's cheek startled them both.   
  
"How dare you say that to me? You have no idea who I am." she said.  
  
Connor rubbed his cheek.   
  
"Spare me the sob story. You can't hold a candle next to what I've been through." "Really? Try me." Dawn crossed her arms and cocked her head.   
  
"I'm the son of an unholy union. Of ensouled vampire and ensouled vampire who were mass murderers in their prime. When I was born I was dragged into a Hell Dimension with my father's mortal enemy as my only human companion. He fed me lies, told me that Angel never birthed me, that I was Steven, his son. And when he died…I blamed Angel for it. So I fought him, sealed him in a box and tossed him into the ocean." Connor finished, dark eyes downcast and shoulders slumped.  
  
"Not exactly Nuclear Family type stuff huh?" Dawn said, her voice hushed and filled with sympathy and embarrassment.   
  
"Only the nuclear part." he replied. He sat down beside Dawn. "Now it is your turn."  
  
She looked at him oddly. He wasn't still angry at her for slapping him, nor for making him spill his guts to her in the heat of a stupid argument. Maybe spending most of your life in a Hell Dimension made you less petty. "I-I'm not supposed to exist. Everything I am, it was a big lie. Fabricated by monks hiding a Key from a mad goddess bent on merging all the realms and be ruler of all of them. So every memory I have, Buffy has, Angel has, is an elaborate spell. I was never born like Buffy was, we didn't have the same mother because I never had a real mother. At least, in the flesh and blood sense." she shrugged and sniffled.   
  
"I'm truly sorry Dawn. I did not know." he took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. She looked at him in surprise and her cheeks flushed crimson. She withdrew her hand and stood up.  
  
"So what exactly is this Eye of Imora?"   
  
"Cordelia had a vision about a demi-god who used this Eye of Imora to drain the life force of Buffy and therefore taking her Slayer powers. Then, he would go to Angel and take his powers, destroying them as he went along. And then…no one would be safe. The Eye itself is the device that sucks the abilities of warriors."  
  
"Sometimes I'm not sure if I should run for the hills or laugh when stuff like this happens." "What do you mean? Why would you laugh?" he asked, perplexed.   
  
"All this Apocalypse Now stuff is a long time coming. We've faced six so far and I'm sure that weird thing in Los Angeles with the perpetual night and rain of fire qualifies as end of the world stuff. And hey, we're all still here. Buffy will destroy this demi-god person and then we'll both go to our respective homes and take a nap." "Spoken like a truly spectator." Connor said, getting up from the sofa and walking away, his diatribe finished.  
  
"Whoa whoa whoa now." Dawn said, following him. "What do you mean 'spectator'? I'm sorry if I don't have a hero complex and charge into every battle." "You just wait here until someone comes along and saves you. It's pathetic." "Excuse me? I killed that Woodlark thing back there, remember?" "Wuulark. And that was only after I saved you first."  
  
"Fine, next time I'll call dibs on being the savior guy."  
  
"What? You can't call dibs." "Sure you can. Just like you get in a car and the first one to jump in the front seat."  
  
"I don't like cars. I'm much faster and I don't need gasoline." "Then why are you so full of combustible gases?" she fixed him with a sneer.   
  
"Just stop talking!" Connor said, pointing emphatically. "Really, not even the Lksrys' were as annoying as you." "Ok, take back that thing that I can't pronounce!"  
  
Connor threw his arms in the air and collapsed into the flannel loveseat. That was when the door began to tremble with the pressure of long, tough, blade-topped arms…  
  
***  
  
The Slayer and the Vampire made their way across the street into the large cathedral that was boarded up and still under construction.  
  
"Hey Buffy, remember this place?"   
  
"Yeah, it was where Spike cured Drusilla. That was how she was able to kill Kendra." the blond Slayer grimaced with long forgotten pain and guilt. Angel had seen this look in her green eyes too many times already. He knew it was best to not speak of it.  
  
"I think we lost the Wuulark." Angel said, taking a chance to place his hands on his knees and rest.  
  
"I just hope Dawn is ok. Connor's probably used to this kind of stuff by now." Buffy said, looking around to see if the big blue demons were approaching.   
  
"Yeah, Connor will protect Dawn. He knows how much she means to you, how much you mean to-" "Angel don't, please. Not now." her face became tight, as though she had been battling the same thoughts since Angel made an appearance at Sunnydale.   
  
"I only meant with all we've been through together." the vampire said sullenly. He couldn't help but feel his heart swell at seeing her. He attempted to say something else when the Slayer pointed at the Cathedral.  
  
"Maybe Igon is shacking up in there. It reeks of demon ickiness."  
  
"Remind me to buy you a thesaurus before I leave." Buffy smiled and so did Angel. They held their weapons, broad sword and sledge hammers, then looked at each other. They traded and made for the Cathedral.   
  
"Don't worry about Dawn, Buffy. They can't possibly be worst off than us." 


	3. You Don't Know Me

Disclaimer: Yadda yadda yadda.   
  
Summary: The conclusion of Teen Angst. Connor and Dawn finally see through each other's defenses while Buffy and Angel get closer than they should…  
  
"Did I mention you kinda look like Mandark?"  
  
"Who?" "You know, the rival of Dexter Boy Genius." Dawn said. Connor gave her a blank look. "Oh right, you don't watch television. Sorry."  
  
The vampires' son shrugged. He turned to the steel doors that -for now- held the Wuulark at bay. "That won't keep them for long. They have monstrous strength." "Yeah, monsters tend to have monstrous strength." "Can you please close your mouth and let me think?" "You're not the boss of me," Dawn cried indignantly.   
  
"This is getting tiring. Look, you stay on your corner and I'll stay on mine ok?" Connor offered, not bothering to look at the Slayer's sister. He honestly had never met anyone so maddening. Her voice grated on his nerves and her imperious crossing of arms made him want to throw her out to the Wuulark along with her purloined shoes.   
  
"What exactly is your malfunction?" Dawn called, stepping in front of Connor. "It's like you refuse to even attempt a conversation." "Well I don't like getting compared to a long legged black haired evil boy genius who wears pocket protectors!"  
  
Dawn blinked at him. Then, her Peach Delight smeared lips curled in an accusatory shape.  
  
"Hey! You said you never saw that show." "Maybe once or twice…" Connor said, flushed. He turned away. "And besides, being on Q'or Toth isn't the best place to develop social skills. It's either kill or be killed. And I was known as The Destroyer."  
  
"The Destroyer?" Dawn said to herself. Her blue-green eyes turned down, her dark hair veiling her face. It was amazing. She was formerly the Key and he was formerly the Destroyer- both part of pasts and destinies that would ultimately destroy them. There were surely keen differences between them, but they were both just children caught up in the struggles of the world. She suddenly realized that no matter how hard Connor fought, or how hard Dawn tried to be like Buffy they would both be anguished souls.   
  
"What? You've gone all quiet. It's strange not to have you say something annoying." Connor said, readying himself for another verbal bout. When Dawn simply looked up, walked forward and embraced him he was speechless and shocked out of his wits.  
  
"I'm sorry Connor. I shouldn't have been mean to you." She said into his ear. Connor was startled when her breath on his skin made his hair rise and heat flush his cheeks.   
  
"What are you talking about?" he asked, perplexed. This girl was the strangest person he's met since returning to the world.   
  
"You've been through so much. You don't deserve any more pain, not even my insults."   
  
Connor awkwardly wrapped his arms around the girl and wondered why he found the frailness of her body so appealing. He could feel her ribs and firm stomach through her blue sweater. And she smelled faintly of lavender. The scent was so faint that he was tempted to lean in and press his nose to her neck to find it. Instead, he said,  
  
"I'm sorry too Dawn. I shouldn't have said you didn't know what pain was. I was rash in judging you." he blushed, as he always did when apologizing. Male pride thrived in Hell Dimensions. Dawn pulled out of the embrace and met his dark eyes. She laughed self consciously for a moment.  
  
"Enough with the Barney togetherness scene." she rubbed her little nose and sat down on the flannel couch.   
  
"Barney?" Connor asked, sitting down next to her.  
  
"Big purple dinosaur."  
  
"I've fought a few of those. I did not know they existed in your world as well."   
  
Now it was Dawn who sighed.   
  
***  
  
The Priest of Imora cackled as the Slayer and the ennobled Vampire entered the cathedral. He was garbed in a brown robe adorned with blood red jewels in intricate patterns, the runes that depicted the symbols of Imora. In his hand he held a large circular disc encrusted with a wide eye. But the eye was no simple drawing, it was a living eye, oil black and searching the room.  
  
"You are too late Slayer! I have already awoken and harnessed Imora's powers! I, Igon, will be almighty!"  
  
"Yadda yadda. Can we kick your ass now?" Buffy asked, gripping her hammer.  
  
"Careful Buffy, don't look into the eye." Angel warned.   
  
"Wuulark, faithful servants of Imora! Come to me!" besides Igon two pools of bubbling liquid steamed and hissed. The masses formed into vague shapes, then into Wuulark. The monsters charged at the two heroes, slashing and cutting. Buffy countered with the flat of her sledge hammer, sending the Wuulark stumbling backwards. She rushed forward and used the sledge hammer as a supporter as she lifted off the ground and kicked the demon with both feet. Angel appeared behind the demon and drove the broadsword in the base of its spine. It howled and turned with a furious back swing. A blade sliced Angel's face and the blow sent him crashing into the pew.   
  
"Angel!" Buffy called out. She saw the demon about to explode and ducked behind the pew further along the back. Churning clouds of flame roiled and hissed, sucking the oxygen from the air. Igon was chanting and the smoke from the blast became thicker and writhed with a life force. Buffy crouched and instantly began to choke on the smog. "Good thing Angel stopped breathing years ago." the Slayer said, her eyes watering. She could see nothing in the smoke. She heard struggles and the sickening sound of flesh meeting flesh in combat. She saw Angel sliding across the floor with the sword clattering away.   
  
"I am so not liking this Igon guy," the vampire said, getting up and dusting himself off. Buffy ducked down where the smoke couldn't reach her and gulped in air. She inhaled deeply and held it in. She crawled quickly beneath the rows of seats and emerged right before Igon. The priest jeered and pointed the Eye of Imora at her. The black eye began to glow brightly, ominous and foreboding. And as the beam of black light came rocketing at her, the Slayer's only saving grace was the stupid Wuulark who didn't know when to stay put.   
  
Igon laughed as the Wuulark power surged in him. He began to change, his body augmenting and ripping the flamboyant robe to meaningless shreds. Buffy took this time to charge the priest, arms crossed at an X in front of her. She tackled Igon to the floor and cried out as the demi god priest launched her into the air with his legs. Buffy landed with a bone-jarring thud on the harsh stone floor. The breath escaped her lips and her sight went fuzzy. Igon loomed over her, his blade topped arm poised to pierce her torso. Igon howled as Angel swung the sledgehammer Buffy left behind to full effect. The blades bent and some were crushed upon impact. Igon growled and impaled Angel with his other hand. The vampire grunted and looked surprised. As his cold blood ran onto the floor, Buffy shrieked his name. Angel slumped to the ground, blood making red rivers down his lips. Buffy floor-swiped Igon's legs and stood. The demi god's concentration on his smog spell broke and the smoke rose into the roof of the church. Buffy kicked the Eye of Imora out of Igon's claws. Igon rolled away and regained his footing. He swiped at the Slayer, but she moved out of range and jabbed with lightning punches. Her blows actually dented his steel-like skin and felt like miniature demolishing balls. She flipped clear over his head and reached the sledge hammer. She swung with full force, crushing his shoulder and rendering his arm useless. She raised the blunt weapon over her head and brought it down hard upon Igon's skull, watching in satisfaction as it was reduced to a bloody mess. She repeatedly pounded his still form even after he had died.   
  
"B-Buffy," Angel called weakly. The Slayer stopped her morbid work and was suddenly disgusted with herself. She shook away the cold that was creeping up on her *a cold which she knew would be returning to her in the middle of night* and went to Angel's side.  
  
"Angel are you ok?" she asked, worry and dread weighing down her heart. He seemed so fragile, like a wilted black rose, bleeding and coughing in her arms. His dark eyes were closed in anguish. "I just need time to heal…maybe a blood infusion."  
  
"You need one right now or else you'll die." and the Slayer knew what must be done before she finished her statement.  
  
"Buffy, no. I can't bring myself to do that once again. I almost killed you last time-" "Shut up. You're not deciding. I am." Buffy removed her pony tail and exposed her neck. She dipped her head. The vampire looked at the tender spot with lust smoldering in his dark eyes. His vampiric face surfaced and his fangs slid down over his lips.   
  
"No-" "Do it!" she commanded.  
  
Angel opened his mouth wide, no longer able to ignore the temptations of the flesh, unable to ignore the screaming desire in him for the blood of Buffy Summers…  
  
***  
  
They were ready for the Wuulark when they finally tore down the door. They were already tired from their efforts which made it an easier job. Connor appeared in front of them, acting faster than their dull witted minds could react. He wailed on the lead and ran away, knowing that his fists had little to no effect on the creature. When the blue demon began to chase after him, that was when Dawn swung the chains taken from the ceiling. Connor had taught her how to wield it effectively. She laced the metal links around the thick ankle of the lead and yanked with all her might. Surprised, the Wuulark fell hard. Its comrade stumbled over it and accidentally pierced it with its knives. Those two fought as two more entered. Connor climbed a large stack of crates and quickly pounced a Wuulark. He attempted to snap its neck, but the demon merely continued on with its head facing an impossible angle. Connor flipped backwards and struck out with both fists at the vulnerable spot at the small of its back. The demon fell forward, then backward as Dawn bludgeoned it with the hooked end of her chain. Connor smiled as Dawn showed heart and courage, instead of the squeamish little demeanor she had displayed earlier. She had the face of a warrior. Dawn turned and brought down the sharp, rusted hook upon the dueling Wuulark. One exploded, taking the other with it in the detonation. She then lassoed another and had it trapped as Connor used the heel of his foot to break off a blade from its hand. He thrust it deep into its spine and ran as it began to bubble. Dawn ran, taking Connor down behind the couch as the beast erupted in fiery death.   
  
The two teens landed in a tangle of limbs, with Dawn on top. Connor smiled and said,  
  
"Looks like you saved me."   
  
"Told you I'd call dibs."  
  
***  
  
"I wish you could stay longer," Dawn was saying to Connor and Angel as they stood in the doorway of the Summer's residence.   
  
"No Dawn, they're needed in L.A. Isn't that right?" Buffy asked, her eyes avoiding Angel. The vampire, seemingly uninjured but weary, nodded. Connor stepped forward and looked into Dawn's eyes.   
  
"I-I would like to thank you, for saving me." "No problem. I owed you one." she said with a small smile. He leaned in for a stolen kiss, one that took Angel, Buffy, and especially Dawn by surprise.   
  
"And I owed you that." Connor said, fluidly exiting the house and disappearing in the melting shadows of the night. Angel wanted to say something to Buffy but the Slayer only looked pointed at him. He nodded.  
  
"Good bye Dawn," he let himself out, closing the door.  
  
"What just happened there? Land of the Lost boy just smooched you! What went on in that abandoned warehouse? Dawn. Dawn!"  
  
But the Slayer's little sister only stared after the boy who had stolen a kiss, and, more importantly, her heart.  
  
The End. 


End file.
